Meet the artists behind Soho House Bangkok’s art collection

A celebration of art and culture, Thailand Biennale festival brings together some of the country’s most exciting creative talents – something we aim to do at Soho House Bangkok, too. In fact, the House’s art collection is brimming with work by 33 artists born or based in Thailand, reflecting the diversity of its contemporary art scene. 

So, what better time to celebrate some of those talented artists than now, when Thailand Biennale is about to shine a light on the country’s booming creative community? Here, we catch up with four members whose pieces are found on the walls of our Bangkok outpost, to discuss their work, Soho House and Thailand’s flourishing cultural landscape.

Prae Pupityastaporn 
‘After studying fine art in Germany, I moved back to Thailand in 2016. The Thai art scene is so special because it’s still pretty small – everybody knows everybody, which means there’s a really friendly atmosphere. As a city, Bangkok has something for everyone. There’s so much diversity. After 10 years living in Germany, where everything is very ordered, there’s a charm to the chaos of Bangkok. It allows for some unexpected experiences.

‘My work in the House, “The Lightning Struck Twice”, explores the relationship between painting and words. Writing or reading words creates a visual in the mind; painting allows me to create a similar visual using my own kind of artistic language.’

Angkrit Ajchariyasophon 
‘I’ve been a member of Soho House Bangkok for almost a year. I love the atmosphere of the House; it’s like coming over to a friend’s place. I’ll often attend events and talks. I recently attended Uthis Haemamool’s book launch in August and an “Ask Me Anything” event with Pita Limjaroenrat in November.

‘I’m so honoured to have two of my works displayed in the House. The first is “Living & Dying (22nd)”, which is by the Garden Bar on the first floor. It was painted from my memory. It looks like a picture of a mountain, but it actually represents my connection with a certain person in my life. The second one is “Archetype”, which I painted in 2004 during a period of really questioning who I was. I didn’t have much money at the time, so I painted it on a printing plate made from aluminium – a cheap material. It feels like an archive of that chapter of my life.’

Supawich Weesapen 
‘For my paintings I take a lot of inspiration from my environment, and I’m really interested in the power of symbols and omens – the way in which what they represent changes through time and between cultures. For my work displayed in Soho House, I was inspired to explore lightning. It’s a powerful natural phenomenon that destroys its target immediately, wherever it strikes.

‘I love Soho House Bangkok, as it’s a space that brings people together. There aren’t too many places in the city for creative people to meet, but the House really supports and stimulates its creative ecosystem. You’ll usually spot me around the pool.’

Jakkai Siributr 
‘I was born and raised in Bangkok. I actually attended secondary school around the corner from the building that is now Soho House. I then spent 10 years abroad until I returned to the city in the mid 1990s, and I’ve lived in the same neighbourhood ever since. I’m addicted to the chaos and messiness of the city – it gives me tremendous inspiration for my work. 

‘My art in the House collection is from a series I worked on during the pandemic. In order to help low-income communities – like workers in the tourist industry – I bought many of their uniforms that had become obsolete. These uniforms were disassembled and sewn into face masks and then reassembled into a tapestry. It was a way to record a particular time in our history. The work is embellished with many talismanic objects to offer hope for the future.’

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